Also: morphogens, zebrafish stripes, angelfish
Two interacting chemicals or cell types spreading at different rates can spontaneously form spots and stripes.
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Kondo and Miura reviewed the reaction-diffusion model; long debated, it is now supported by a number of compelling biological examples.
As reported in: Kondo, Miura (2010). Reaction-Diffusion Model as a Framework for Understanding Biological Pattern Formation. Science. doi:10.1126/science.1179047
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Turing proposed that reacting, diffusing chemicals ("morphogens") can turn a uniform tissue into a pattern through instability triggered by random disturbances.
As reported in: Turing (1952). The chemical basis of morphogenesis. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences. doi:10.1098/rstb.1952.0012
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Kondo and Asai described a reaction–diffusion wave on the skin of the angelfish Pomacanthus.
As reported in: Kondo, Asai (1995). A reaction–diffusion wave on the skin of the marine angelfish Pomacanthus. Nature. doi:10.1038/376765a0
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Nakamasu and colleagues identified the interaction network between zebrafish pigment cells that generates Turing-type skin patterns.
As reported in: Nakamasu, Takahashi, Kanbe et al. (2009). Interactions between zebrafish pigment cells responsible for the generation of Turing patterns. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. doi:10.1073/pnas.0808622106